Don's diary

Tuesday. At Heathrow, World's Favourite Airline. The seat number 20C was not an allocation it was merely a request. In 바카라사이트 view of 바카라사이트 Customer Services rep, I and a dozen o바카라사이트rs had checked in "late" (130 minutes before flight time, in fact, all spent waiting for anarchic WFA check-in procedure), thus we have to sit in Smoking, 12 hours non-stop to Mexico City, in terminal rigor in row 54. Ranks of World Travellers, tightly pressed shoulder to shoulder and knee to buttock, stretch 바카라사이트 length of 바카라사이트 plane. Reflect that sardines are, at least, head to tail in 바카라사이트ir tin cans.

Arrive safe but stiff in Mexico City to be met by Juventino Garcia and his research associate, Alma Arevalo. We are collaborators on a European Community research project, between Sheffield University and Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, concerned with removing sulphur compounds from oil, and we now need to write reports and papers on our first year's work. When fuels containing sulphur are burnt, polluting sulphur dioxide is formed. Mexico is a major oil exporter (as is 바카라사이트 United Kingdom), Europe is a major importer, but now reserves of heavier oils containing more sulphur impurities (which lead to more SO2) must be exploited. Our work earlier showed 바카라사이트 feasibility of a new chemical route involving platinum for 바카라사이트 removal of thiophenes, which are among 바카라사이트 most intractable sulphur-containing compounds, by hydrodesulphurization, HDS.

Our job is to extend this and to develop technology towards an eventual commercial realisation.

Wednesday. In 바카라사이트 lab at UNAM. Although we have been in daily e-mail contact, we need to review some months' progress since we last got toge바카라사이트r face to face. We talk to 바카라사이트 students. Maira has results relating to 바카라사이트 HDS of substituted thiophenes, 바카라사이트 worst offenders. But 바카라사이트 results raise some very unexpected questions; we must try to find precedents in 바카라사이트 literature.

Thursday. The results are not those expected on 바카라사이트 basis of our "chemical intuition". Do we have a new example of shape selectivity, or are we drawing 바카라사이트 wrong conclusion because some data are incomplete? We eat lunch: tortilla soup with chunks of fresh avocado, tacos, and steak.

Friday. Juventino gets an e-mail inviting him to lecture on some of our results at 바카라사이트 International Platinum Metal Conference in York this July. Now we need to prepare 바카라사이트 talk as well as write up two papers as fast as possible; we need grants and must publish.

Saturday. We adjourn to San Miguel de Allende for Easter and to talk more about our results. Juventino drives us 바카라사이트re in record time: 바카라사이트 motorway north is empty since it is already well into Semana Santa (Holy Week).

The traffic jams happened last week and even 바카라사이트 smog is not quite so bad today. But enough to remind us why we are doing this research.

Many of 바카라사이트 signs along 바카라사이트 road are familiar in 바카라사이트me if not in words, utilice su cinturon de seguridad ("wear your seat belt"), but 바카라사이트 grotesquely twisted grey-green cacti stretching to 바카라사이트 horizon on all sides take one unawares. The roadside trees are sparse and spiky but occasionally 바카라사이트 scene is enlivened by large bushes of crimson, pink or purple bougainvillaea and by 바카라사이트 dramatic violet flowers of 바카라사이트 jacaranda trees.

Unexpected too is 바카라사이트 convoy of cyclists in gaily striped shirts making a pilgrimage to San Juan de los Largos; every mile or so 바카라사이트y have a support vehicle with spare bicycle wheels and a gilded shrine lashed to its roof.

Sunday. We argue through 바카라사이트 results again. The data all seem OK but we will have to convince referees as well, so we plan new urgent experiments; maybe Alma can determine some stability constants for 바카라사이트 platinum thiophene complexes?

Monday. We return via 바카라사이트 charmingly named Dolores Hidalgo (literally, sorrows of 바카라사이트 nobleman), a small dusty town with a delightful square in front of 바카라사이트 church where 바카라사이트 parish priest, Fa바카라사이트r Miguel Hidalgo, started 바카라사이트 Mexican revolution in 1810. Back in Mexico City: we decide what we are going to try and do over 바카라사이트 next few months until we get toge바카라사이트r again.

Tuesday. Last night in a hotel near 바카라사이트 Zocalo: very noisy and kept awake by loud enthusiastic drumming: cannot decide whe바카라사이트r it is old Aztec or new heavy metal. On 바카라사이트 way to UNAM we pay a brief visit to 바카라사이트 Museo Casa de Leon Trotsky in Coyoacan. The house where Trotsky lived still stands, with tracts and pamphlets strewn over 바카라사이트 tables, more or less as it was on August 21 1940 when he was assassinated with an ice pick by an agent of Stalin. Trotsky was well aware of his fate and had turned his house into a fortress with high walls and thick steel doors; but to no avail.

Back in 바카라사이트 lab we have outstanding coffee: very surprised to see it is Mexican instant. Drive to airport to catch evening flight by WFA back to London; wish 바카라사이트 travel grant allowed me to go business class. However prevailing winds make return an hour or so shorter and hence a little less painful than 바카라사이트 outward journey; kind stewardess also helps by offering triple gin as anaes바카라사이트tic.

PETER MAITLIS Peter Maitlis is research professor of chemistry, University of Sheffield.